Stream it now Freedom Writers 2007

 

Really good movie and it shows how these kids were against being part of a gang or not being close with there family and all it tokk was one teacher to make a difference.

This movie is good but it has its flaws. Let me start out with some of the good things. Hilary Swank does an amazing job at her role and her connections with her students really elevates this movie. This movie does a great job of showing what life is like living in "The Hood". There are a lot of great lessons to be learned from, in this movie. I believe any teenager can relate to this movie no matter where they're from. This movie does a good job at portraying what these kids had to go through. I liked how Erin Gruwell the teacher really changed each kid's life it was very inspirational. Also, the clever dialogue fit so well with the movie. One thing that bothered me though, was that you could have predicted that Erin Gruwell's husband was going to leave her right from the start and I was disappointed with Patrick Dempsey's performance. Overall this is a pretty inspiring movie therefore I give it 3.5/4 stars.

Wow people like this movie? Honestly this movie is offensive and lame. They take yet again another look at urban communities and pick on them while making each classmate have over the top problems with their lives. So somehow writing helps them get over their problems. Hilary Swank is annoying and the cast they chose to play the students are your typical casting choices with nothing redeeming about their abilities to act. This is a perfect example of people loving a dumb story with a lot of heart to it. Hell this is exactly like the Blind Side, white person comes in to save the day.

a truly great film

This movie is truly inspirational. Hillary Swank does a great job with her character through the emotions she gives out throughout the movie. I think that "Based on a True Story" stories will often portray an emotion based on the actor/actress who plays the character. I know that just having somebody there to listen to and not judge where you came from can be very powerful and heart warming for anyone. I think that kids who think that their life is bad and they get caught up in the wrong crowd should really watch this move. It shows that people really do care about you and your life and if you give them a chance, they could really make a difference in your life. I think everyone in grade nine and up should see this movie.

an inspiring drama about the usual believe-in-yourself coming-of-age tactic with lots of heart but the film lacks in depth among the characters

Amazingly well told and woven movie. Powerful message and moralities reach out and touch even the hardest of hearts. This movie opens the viewers eyes to this beautiful story and does so in an awe inspiring and cinematic performance.

I give this movie some points down for being somewhat inconsistent in its story-telling at some points and somewhat faultily representing characters motives. Still, a beautiful and well recommended movie.

Great movie. An inspiring tale of how a teacher turned around the lives of her troubled students. Very dramatic and engaging.

How many remarkable teachers like Erin Gruwell are made every movie season? There seems to be a formulaic "teacher inspires ghetto kids" film every couple of months. They are designed to revolve around one superb actor (in this case Hillary Swank), while inspiring and impressing critics. It sure works most of the time. Freedom Writers serves that latter purpose perfectly; it delivers emotion and resonance nearly relentlessly, and with an actor like Swank, who is able to interact with all these hardcore, gun-toting kids (who we are supposed to believe are 13 and 14, while the actors look about twice my age) and transform them into one huge body of emotion and power, we really can't go wrong...

Erin Gruwell is well educated, well brought up, and well spoken woman who is safely married to a well educated, well brought up and well spoken husband Scott (Patrick Casey), -- she sure has a great life ahead of her. Does she take the safe route? Does she hell. Erin decides to teach a group of misfits instead, much to the annoyance of the head of English, Mrs. Campbell (Imelda Staunton) -- whose approach to teaching is to "get hundreds of thousands of students through the school as fast and easy as possible". Now is an opportunity to use my favourite word in describing the class, oh they are a recalcitrant bunch, not only purposely ignoring her but acting like they are in charge, which they kinda are.

But she quickly turns that around. Pretty soon she has introduced them to the stories of the Holocaust and the anti-segregation movement in the sixties. There is your transformation.

Although it works well throughout, Freedom Writers just ended on a flat note, in my opinion. There was no questions asked; even the most ignorant viewer could tell you the end after the title sequence. I understand it couldn't have been made any better, in a way that's the only ending they could've used because it is based on a true story, after all. But if that's the only way it could be made, I ask the question, why bother? Perhaps I'm being too picky, the movie is very powerful and touching at times -- and I did enjoy some bits; is that a recommendation? Take it as you will.

In this movie Hilary Swank is approached as the only white person in the whole world who likes black people. One very good reason why I hate race movies.

The classroom setting is so unnatural it's annoying. This is due to the combination of bad acting and bad screenplay.

It has short bursts of inspiration or whatever. To be honest, all that inspirational bullshit means nothing because I'm too distracted by how bad the whole movie is.